The Stig

One of the best silver linings to life with cancer is the euphoria of a clear scan result. We were treated to this on Monday - a year after they had found a stray tumour growing in his right adrenal gland. This week we are mainly walking on air!

The care at The Christie was as good as ever. Every time we go, there's a new slick bit added onto the hospital - and the work inside is just as impressive.

Prof Hawkins told us the good news less than half an hour after Quent left the scanner. He had the radiologist lined up to look at the scans straight away (and 'after hours') - yet again. At this point, we should give credit to the Radiologist, whom we've never met and never thanked. In nearly 8 years of scanning we've never even heard his name, so I'm going to call him the Stig; the mysterious man who works at speed!

We are very grateful to Prof Hawkins and the Stig. It's really lovely knowing the results of the scan straight away - the drive home is fuelled by joy and love (and a tank of diesel, of course).

Of course The Stig's work is getting easier, because there's less and less to look at. Quent has had one kidney, two adrenal glands and parts of both lungs removed... which cuts down the organs to be inspected. Not that it seems to affect Quent's stamina or zest for life. He's still cycling, kayaking and climbing mountains - and that's just in the last fortnight!

I'm sure there's some clever way to end this post with a quip about Jeremy Clarkson, but I just can't see it right now...